Cocaine Found at The White House in Joe Biden’s Absence

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Secret Service Investigates Security Breach at the White House

The US Secret Service is currently conducting an investigation into the discovery of cocaine at the White House. The incident occurred on Sunday night, prompting a brief evacuation of the West Wing, which houses the Oval Office and various working areas for presidential aides and staff. Secret Service agents found the powder during a routine inspection in an area accessible to tour groups.

President Joe Biden and his family were at Camp David in Maryland at the time of the discovery. According to a senior law enforcement official, the substance was found in a storage facility regularly used by White House staff and guests to store their mobile phones. As a precautionary measure, the White House complex was closed shortly after the discovery was made.

Subsequent tests confirmed that the substance was indeed cocaine. In response to the incident, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced that the Secret Service would conduct a thorough review to determine how the cocaine entered the White House. She described the area where the substance was found as a heavily trafficked part of the building and expressed confidence that the Secret Service would uncover the details surrounding the incident.

Cocaine discovered in the White House on Sunday was found in a cubby hole in a West Wing entry area where visitors place electronics and other belongings before going on tours, a source familiar with the matter said https://t.co/o4TLjWld6k pic.twitter.com/QOYdr2YLNY

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 6, 2023

White House staff members are permitted to provide tours of certain areas of the West Wing to their friends and family. Non-accredited visitors are required to store their mobile phones and personal belongings in cubicles. It was in one of these cubbies that the cocaine was discovered, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, a prominent Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has raised concerns about the incident. He sent a letter to the director of the Secret Service, posing questions about the security measures and visitor screening processes at the White House. He also inquired about any previous instances of drug discoveries within the presidential residence.

Cocaine is classified as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating its high potential for abuse, as recognized by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

The West Wing, a multi-level section of the White House, is home to the offices of the President, Vice President, White House Chief of Staff, and Press Secretary, among others. It serves as a crucial hub for the operations of the US government.